Compact disks, CD ROMs, CD game disks, digital video disks and other similar media are in use to carry computer-readable data. In such disks, the data is encoded in a layer which is just below the top surface (the label side) of the disk. The data is read through the bottom surface of the disk. Scratches in the bottom surface can cause data read errors. However, users have been educated to handle the disks carefully to avoid such scratches. Most users are not aware that scratches in the top surface can easily destroy the encoded data, a phenomenon which is particularly problematic with disks which are rented or leased, and thus handled frequently by persons who do not own the disk and may not care for it properly.